Together Again
by xo-mari
Summary: Chihiro returns to the Spirit World, hoping to reunite with Haku. I'm not good at summaries. Sorry.
1. Chapter 1

_It's been four years since that magical experience. I remember it all like it_

_was yesterday. How could I possibly forget? I was moving, and Dad took a 'shortcut'._

_We stumbled upon this tunnel. Curious, my parents decided to stop and see if they could find a place for lunch. Scared and worried, I refused going. I was _

_a puny, whiny, ten-year-old kid. Who could blame me? But, my parents insisted we take a rest. I was offered to stay in the car, but one look at the creepy, _

_mossy statue that suddenly appeared beside me, my mind changed instantly. On the other side of the tunnel, rolling grasslands surrounded us. The wind _

_circled around us, leading us to the 'abandoned amusement park'. Then, I totally didn't see what was coming._

"Chihiro? Wake up, sweetie."

Chihiro lifted her head up from her desk. Her teacher looked at her warmly. "Pay attention, please. No more sleeping, alright?"

Chihiro nodded reluctantly and gazed out the window. She wasn't sleeping; she was dreaming. Dreaming of the dream she had always desired to live again. How much she wanted to return to the Spirit World. To see Lin, Kamajii, Granny, Boh, and Haku again. Especially Haku.

Ever since she left, he was always in her mind. And thinking about nothing but him for four years came to a conclusion: Chihiro truly loved him. But that's obvious, right? Chihiro's love for the river spirit was so strong and genuine, but it was painful since she wasn't with him. So what if she's fourteen? You can love at a young age. Besides, she's been in love with him since she was ten, when he helped and guided her through her time at the bathhouse. And now, she loved him and missed him so much. She'd do anything to see him again. Anything.

What about the tunnel, the mysterious passageway that lead her to her fate in the first place? After her experience, she never went back. Why? Chihiro was afraid; afraid she wouldn't be able to go through and be greatly disappointed. Or, noone would want to see her. But now, something in her gave her courage and confidence. She was going back. Of course people would want to see her. It's been a couple of years, and surely they would miss her, right? Also, Yubaba wasn't that cruel; Chihiro could handle her again. And the main reason: Haku. Excitement and happiness filled up Chihiro when she thought about looking into those gorgeous, wonderful emerald eyes once again. She sighed. _Get ready, Spirit World, _she thought. _I'm coming back._

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**This is my first fic, so go easy on me. First chapter; super short, I know, but I'll make up for it later on, okay? )**

**Review, please.**

**xoxo Mari**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, in any way, own Spirited Away. If I did, that would be awesome. But I don't. Thank you.**

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-bell rings-

Chihiro gathers all of her things and walks out of the classroom. **_Ah, yes! Weekend. Perfect time to go to the Spirit World. Or, at least try. Ugh_. _Try? I'm GOING. I hope_.** Great. She's not even near the tunnel, and she's already worried. Chihiro shakes her head, takes her backpack from her locker, and starts heading home. When she exits out the school's front door, her best friend, Mya, hugs Chihiro a 'hello' and walks beside her, ready to go home. (They live next door to each other)

"So..whatcha gonna do this weekend, Chi?" Mya asks cheerily.

"Uhm...nothing much. Probably going to visit a childhood place." Chihiro replied cooly.

Mya looked at her bff curiously. "Really. Where?"

"Somewhere."

"Tell me."

"I don't know; you'd probably think it would be ridiculous, so I'm not even going to try to tell you." Chihiro rushed.

"You seem nervous." Mya pointed out. -lightbulb-

"Omigosh, it's a guy, isn't it? You don't want to hang out this weekend because you're going on a secret date with a guy I _should_ know about, but I don't!!"

The girl put her hands on her hips. "That's it, isn't it?" she asked, smirking.

**_Well, partly_**. Chihiro blushed. "Tch, no. I just wanted to relive some childhood memories. Geez, Mya."

"Puh, whatever, hon. I know I'm right. You're blushing crimson."

"Get a grip, Mya, that's not it. I just have this urge to visit a place I've never gone to in a long time." She looked at her friend. "You know I'm weird like that."

"Fine." Mya crossed her arms, annoyed. "But, tell me where you're going; best friends, remember?" Mya's eyes suddenly became wide and innocent, with a pouty smile to top it off. The puppy-dog face.

Chihiro rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, enough with 'the face'. Remember when I told you about that 'incident' when I was 10?"

Mya nodded. "The one with the tunnel, and the spirits, and the really cute guy that saved your life? Yep."

Blushing, Chi responded, "Yeah. I'm going back to the tunnel. I want to visit my friends again. Yes, including the cute guy that saved my life.", answering Mya's next question. "And, no offense, I don't care if you believe me or not."

"AH-HA! I knew it had something to do with a guy!" Mya squealed. "Yes, of course I believe you, Chi, you're my best friend! Although it seems really random and impossible, but I believe you a hundred percent! Omigosh, omigosh, wow! Take me with you!"

-pauses-

"Uhm...I dunno Mya, you might get overwhelmed by everything..." Chi trailed off.

"Puh-lease, I can handle it. Besides, I want to meet the cute guy who you've been dreaming about all of these years. Take me. TAKE ME!!!"

Chihiro stares at the girl beside her, eyes filled with confusion and amazement. **_Wow...somebody needs a looney pill._** She gives in. "Fine! But, you have to listen to me and don't do anything unless you tell me first. Whatever happens, you have to listen to me. And...don't even bother looking for cute guys. They're all spirits, and from what I know, they are **NOT **that pretty." Chihiro starts walking toward her door.

All happy and giggly, Mya thanks Chihiro and tells her to call her later.

Chihiro smiles and waves goodbye while taking out her key. Unlocking the door, she wonders how she's going to handle Mya in the Spirit World. **_Now that Mya's coming along, the visit might be difficult_**. Mya is her best friend, and Chihiro loves her very much; but you've gotta admit, she's kinda crazy sometimes. **_No, not crazy. Hyper. Yea, hyper. _**Chihiro closes the door behind her and heads toward her room. As soon as she enters, she collapses on the bed, sighing greatly. **_So tired_**. -yawns-

"Ugh. You can't be tired, Chihiro. It's only 3:40." She sits up, and looks around her room. "Hmm...should I pack? ...Maybe just a little bag of really important things."

Chihiro grabs an old backpack, and starts stuffing it with clothes. She looks around the room and spots her stuffed animal that she miraculously found at a flea market. The stuffed animal was a dragon; with a long, white elegant body and blue stripes along the sides. It had a cute chibi-like face and was small enough to hold, but not too small. The reason she begged her parents for her to buy it was that it reminded her of a certain person. (Can you guess who?) It was there when she was sad, angry, happy, excited, etc. Although silly, she would talk to it about her day, what her problems are, what's happening in school, and how much she missed the Spirit World and its residents. The cute little toy was her friend. Probably her most valuable one. Chihiro stops packing for a minute and picks up her friend. "Of course you're going. I owe you so much." And with that, she snugly fits the plushie into a place in her backpack.

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**Next Day (Saturday)**

Chihiro had called Mya the night before and discussed their plans. Mya would come over at around 9:00am, with her belongings with her. (IF she has a good hair day) Then, both Chi and Mya would leave the house forty minutes later, taking the bus and walking to their destination. When they reach the tunnel, they'll decide what will happen next.

-ding dong-

Chihiro surprisingly looks at the door. "Wow, Mya is actually on time." She goes and opens it, revealing a stylish Mya. She was wearing a cute layered top, a denim skirt with white leggings, AMAZINGLY cute ballet flats (with a cute skull on each), with cute anchor earrings and long, pastel necklaces multi-wrapped around her neck. And, her dark brown hair was in soft waves, with a polka-dot headband to pull it back. Obviously, Mya looked...cute. (So cute!)

"Hey, hon! I'm all ready!" Mya squealed with a wave.

"Kami, Mya..."

"What? Is it, like, not cute at all?" Mya asked with a worried look on her face.

"No, no, no, you look awesome! But...what's the big occasion?" Chihiro responded.

The preppy chick stepped inside before answering. Chihiro then noticed she brought a pink tote with pretty ribbons tied at the handles. Surprisingly, it didn't carry a chihuahua.

"Well, hello? Chi? You're going to visit your friends again, INCLUDING the cute-boy-who-saved-your-life, aka Loverboy! You want to look good, don't you?" Mya asked knowingly.

Chihiro looked down at what she was wearing: skinny jeans, a brown hoodie, a cute polo, Vans, and her hair was in a ponytail, secured with the beautiful hairtie Granny, No-Face, Boh, and Yu-bird made for her. She looked okay...just not fabulous. But what's wrong with that?

"What?" Chihiro asked with a questioning look. "I think I look okay."

Mya shrugged. "Yeah, you look cute, as always. Nevermind. Just leave the fabulousness to me." She said jokingly.

"Ha."

Mya smiled."You ready, or not? I want to meet my new friends!"

"Calm down, Mya. Just wait here, I'm gonna go get my backpack from my room." Chihiro headed upstairs.

A minute later, Chi was zooming past the stairs to the kitchen, where she would write a note to her parents. The parents. I haven't mentioned them yet, have I? Well, Chihiro will miss her parents while she's away, but they are never home. Never. When she wakes up, they are gone, with a note on the fridge and a few bucks for her lunch. When she slept, they were home, but they never bothered to go into her room and whisper a goodnight. She probably saw them only once a week, for about the whole day, and then...whoosh, they leave her alone again. Sometimes, she even forgets about them. Forgets what they look like, what they sound like. Forgets she even has parents. All she can do is look at old photo albums and imagine what it would be like if they were actually home. 'Home' means that they are actually with her every day, never leaving her for anything. She would imagine what it would be like if they were regular, non-workaholic parents.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I'm going for a visit to an old friend's. I'll be gone for awhile, so don't call the police or anything. I'll be fine. Mya is with me, and we'll be going together. I'll miss you guys alot and I hope you'll miss me just the same. Once again, I'll be fine, so don't worry. I'll be back soon._

_Love, Your Daughter,_

_Chihiro_

Chihiro puts her pen down and places the note on the counter. She goes around the house, checking that everything is off, and that she has everything she needs. With that, she heads toward the door, where Mya is waiting impatiently. Chihiro takes a deep breath and opens the door. The two teenage girls step out onto the front lawn, while one of them shakily tries to lock the door. After pulling the key out of the lock, Chihiro mumbles, "Let's go." They both head to the nearest bus stop.

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**chibi is the cute drawing in manga to express feelings and emotions**

**Also, I don't mean to insult preps or anybody, alright? I used that to describe Mya. Oh, you may think that it's pronounced MY-a. I ment ME-a (Mia), but you can call her MY-a.**

**I'll stop there, because my brain hurts right now. Also, I have tons of work to do (not FINISH, DO) in little time. I hope you enjoy the story so far. If not, tell me what's wrong and stuff like that. I need guidance, lol. Tell me the errors I may have made, and I'll explain/fix them. Thanks. **

**Next chapter they'll be in the Spirit World.**

**xoxo Mari**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away.

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Chihiro gazed out the bus window, thinking deeply about what she was doing. _Am I ready_? she thought. _Yes. I'm confident. I'm brave. I'm going back to the Spirit World because it's where I belong. _Chihiro continued to give herself a pep talk while Mya fiddled with her Sidekick. After texting a few friends, Mya glanced up from her cell phone and nudged Chihiro. "Hey, look! There's a cute guy over there." Mya giggled. Chihiro turned to her friend. "Yes. And?" she responded in a bored tone.

Mya gave a know-it-all-look. "Nothing. I was just pointing it out. Besides, who said he was for you?" she joked. Mya stared at the boy for a moment and then quipped, "You know...I'll be right back. Save my seat, Chi." And with that, she got up from her seat and headed toward the cute dude.

Chihiro sighed and rolled her eyes at her boy-crazy friend. She returns to tuning out until the bus stops at their destination.

About an hour later, Chihiro and Mya hop off the bus. Chihiro looks around the stop and starts walking down a familiar street. After walking for about ten minutes, they notice their path had little statues and houses on the side. Chihiro breathes in. _We're near._ She breathes out and motions Mya to continue walking. A little while after, they come upon the big, dark, and somehow creepy entrance to the tunnel. At last.

-silence-

Chihiro stared straight ahead at the entrance. Mya's eyes were round and wide while her jaw was hanging open.

"Well..." Chihiro started out. "we're here." She turned to Mya, who still remained paralyzed. Her mouth was now fortunately closed, for drool started to spill and that convinced her to snap it shut.

"W-wow." She stuttered. "It's...big. And dark. And creepy."

Chihiro managed a small smile. "I know. But it's home."

-more silence-

Chihiro heaved a sigh and softly asked, "Do you want to go in now?"

"Sh-sure. L-let's do th-this thingy." Shivering, Mya nodded confidently.

"Okay." Chihiro joined hands with Mya. "Ready?"

"Yes." They gripped their hands tightly and made their way into the tunnel.

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After walking (and tripping) for five minutes, they arrived at the end of the tunnel. The two teens stood in the middle of the rolling grasslands, with a soft, comforting breeze among them and the bathouse in the distance. Chihiro tried to take it all in. _I'm...here. I...I made it. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get in...but I did_. _I'm here. I'M HERE!!!_ Chihiro's happiness hit her and she began running and skipping toward the bathhouse. She whooped and jumped, screaming with glee. "I'm here! I can't believe it! I'm here! Ahhhh!" she squealed joyfully.

"Ch-chi! Wait up for me!" Mya shouted.

"Hurry, Mya! Come on, slow poke!"

"I can't run in these shoes!"

"Try to!"

Chihiro reaches the stone steps and stops. Panting, she collapses onto the pavement and watches Mya trying to run in her ballet flats. An eternity later, Mya slowly climbs the steps and falls down, exhausted, using her tote bag to cushion her fall. Chihiro chuckles at her tired friend. "Get up, Mya. We've got to go now." She stands up and offers a hand to Mya. Mya reluctantly grabs Chihiro's hand and gets up, looking around the place Chihiro called 'home'. The decorative buildings boasted old amusement park, but steaming, delicious-looking food lined up at the sides. Mya licked her lips. "Food! Chihiro, let's eat." Mya starts walking but Chihiro grabs onto her arm.

"No. We can't eat that. That's what caused my fate in the first place. Eating the spirits' food turns you into a PIG." Chihiro said.

"I'm only gonna have a little bite. I won't get fat. Promise..."

Chihiro rolled her eyes. "No, Mya, eating the food turns you into a REAL PIG. That's what happened to my parents, remember?" She slaps the back of Mya's head and heads over to a bush sprinkled with red berries. She plucked two of them and hands Mya one. "Eat this."

Mya examines the berry between her two fingers and then pops it into her mouth. Chihiro does the same. Bitter looks come across their faces while they chewed and gulped. Mya uttered an "Eck" and both Chihiro and Mya picked up their belongings and head toward the bathhouse.

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Chihiro turned around, noticing the sky turned dark and the shops lit up. Black shadows with beady yellow eyes appeared, and she saw that the water had filled in. There was no turning back. Mya shook with fear, and clung onto Chihiro. She was about to let out a scream, but Chihiro covered her mouth just in time. She whispered, "Mya, just chill, okay? They're not gonna hurt you as long as you listen to me." Chihiro looked around and started leading Mya toward the bathhouse bridge. Thinking it was safe, she slipped her hand off her friend's mouth and said, "Okay. You alright?"

Mya, pale as a ghost, nodded slightly.

"Okay...now...you have to hold your breath until you cross the bridge. Seriously, you can't breathe at all until you're at the other end, or the spirits will see you and freak out." Chihiro said. "Can you do that?"

"..." Mya gave out another nod.

_Geez...she must be really overwhelmed_. Chihiro thought. _So overwhelmed...she's not even talking. Hey, at least she's not freaking out. Wait...oh, she IS freaking out. Just on the inside. Thank goodness.._

"We can run, if you want." Chihiro suggested. She gripped her backpack strap, waiting for Mya's response.

Mya turned to face Chihiro. The color rushed to her face, but her knuckles were white from gripping her tote bag's handle. "O-okay. I can do this." She paused. "So I have to hold my breath until I cross the bridge? The huge, entire bridge?" Mya asked nervously.

Chihiro gave a comforting smile. She put her hand on her best friend's shoulder. "Yes. Ready now?"

"Yeah." She linked arms with Chihiro.

The two girls both took very, very, very deep breaths and ran across the bridge. Quickly, they take a breath and rush into the bathhouse.

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"HUMANS!! HUMANS!!!!!" a yuna screeched.

Chihiro and Mya looked around at all the angry faces staring at them.

_Ugh!!!_ Chihiro thought. _How could I have been so stupid? Rushing into the bathhouse after I said the spirits would freak out if they saw us. I'm such a hypocrite. _She shook her head. "Mya, pinch me."

"Whaaaat?" Mya asked loudly over the bathhouse workers' chatter.

"Nevermind." Chihiro scanned everywhere for a familiar face. She spotted one.

"LIN!!!!! LIN!!!" she shouted, excitedly.

Lin's brown-haired head snapped toward Chihiro's direction. She was scowling, but she lit up when she saw Sen's face.

"Sen?!" Lin rushed over to her old friend and squeezes her into a bone-crushing hug. "Sen!!!! Kami! I can't believe you're here!!!" she looked her over. "Whoa...look at you! You're no longer the tiny shrimp I once knew. You've grown up so much!" she gushed. Chihiro was as happy as Lin and was left speechless. Mya, on the other hand, was waiting for a proper introduction. Chihiro suddenly realized she had Mya with her, and introduced her human friend to her spirit one. They both smiled, and Lin even gave Mya a welcome hug. When they settled down, Chihiro asked Lin the question she was dying to ask. "Lin, where's Haku?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Oh, I see. You only came here to see Lover-Boy, huh? I'm hurt, Sen. I'm hurt."

Chihiro giggled and replied, "Yes, Lin, you mean nothing to me. I just came to say hi so I wouldn't hurt your feelings." she said sarcastically.

Lin gave Chihiro a soft punch on the arm and said, "Can't you wait until you see Kamajii first?"

"Yes."

"Okey dokey."

Lin, Chihiro, and Mya made their way to the boiler room. They were shot disgusted looks by some yunas, but most of the workers remembered Chihiro, and they greeted her warmly.

Lin opened the boiler room door and there was a spider-like man working his butt off for the baths. Little soot-balls were carrying huge black coals, but dropped them when they spotted their old friend. They chattered excitedly and that caught Kamajii's attention.

"Keep working! You little rascals want to turn back into soot?!" Kamajii growled.

A wide smile crept across Chihiro's face. "I would like a job here, please!" she said.

Kamajii turned around. "No, I've got plenty of work here, go some-Sen!!!"

Chihiro rushed up to the old boiler man and gave him a warm hug. "Hi Kamajii! It's so nice to see you again." Chihiro hugged the man once more. Kamajii was delighted to see his 'granddaughter' again and said, "Wonderful to see you again, too, Sen." He paused. "Sen! You've grown into a beautiful young lady." He smiled.

"So I've heard..."Chihiro replied, blushing.

Mya cleared her throat loudly. "OH! Sorry, Mya. Kamajii, this is my friend Mya. Mya, this is Kamajii, my 'grandpa'." Chihiro introduced.

Kamajii looked at Mya, took her hand and shook it. "Hello Mya. Very nice to meet you."

Mya smiled happily. "Nice to meet you too, Kamajii."

"Okay...I've met EVERYONE." Chihiro quipped, emphasizing on the last word. "Now...where's Haku?" she asked innocently.

Lin rolled her eyes once again and crossed her arms. "So sorry to ruin your day, Sen, but Haku's away right now. Zeniba sent him off on a task. He probably won't be back in a few days." Lin answered.

"WHAT?!" Mya shouted. "So I won't get to meet Chihiro's boyfriend until, like, 48 hours?!"

Lin laughed. "Yep."

Chihiro collapsed on the ground, disappointed. She really wanted to see Haku. Mya did, too, actually. But...she could wait a little bit more, right? She could...but she'd need sugar...LOTS of it. But wait...Zeniba? Granny? She's running the bathhouse?

"Granny's running the bathhouse?" Chihiro asked, looking at Lin.

Lin nodded. "Long story. But to make it short, Yubaba is no longer evil and she went on a vacation. Apparently, she's not fighting with Zeniba either, and she left it in Zeniba's care. Everything's good right now." Lin giggled.** -Wait...Lin..._giggling_? You'll find out why soon-**

"That's awesome." replied a cheered-up Chihiro. "Um...I think I'm gonna take a rest. Can we go to our rooms now?"

"Rooms? What rooms?" Lin questioned.

Chihiro's face was priceless and Lin quickly added, "Just kidding." Lin tried so hard to hide her laughter.

"DON'T do that."

"Sorry, Sen, you know I like to joke."

The three girls bid goodbye to Kamajii, and Lin lead the two exhausted teenage human girls to their rooms.

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**Chapter three! Sorry I took so long; school work and stuff. I'm working on Chapter four right now.**

**Please review. -smiles-**

**xo Mari**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Go to the first chapter to see my disclaimer, please.

Chapter 4

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Chihiro and Mya were tired from their trip, and it was nice to have some rest. So as soon as Lin opened the room's door, they both collapsed onto the nearest futon, even if it wasn't theirs. All they cared about was that it was comfy and fluffy. They didn't move until the next day.

The next morning, Chihiro woke up and stretched her arms. She looked around; there were several other futons surrounding her, with Mya snoozing soundly in one of them.

She sighed and thought to herself, _Kami...I'm actually here_.

She went up to go to the bathroom, and when she came back, Lin was digging into the cupboards to find uniforms.

"Good morning, Lin." Chihiro yawned.

"Hey. Morning, kiddo." Lin replied. She held out a petite peach-colored shirt. "It's so lucky that you're not a shrimp anymore. I found one that fits ya on the first try." Lin joked. She tossed Chihiro the shirt. A moment later, a flying short landed on Chihiro's head.

"Thanks," Chihiro muffled. She took the shorts off of her head and saw that Mya had woken up. And...no offense, but she didn't look as pretty as she usually did. Mya's usually shiny, thick, straight hair had transformed to a twig-colored bush overnight. She had dark circles around her eyes, and her face was as pale as a blank sheet of paper. There was dried drool around her small mouth, and her clothes were wrinkled from not being changed last night.

"Muhrning..." gurgled Mya. She stumbled her way to the bathroom and shut it quietly. Chihiro's chocolate brown eyes were wide with surprise, and Lin just chuckled. "Oh...looks like somebody's had a rough morning." Lin said, while picking out Mya's clothes. Chihiro grabbed a pillow from a futon and threw it softly at her friend. "Be nice..."

About 45 minutes later, Mya returned to her normal self again and both she and Chihiro were dressed up in their uniforms, ready to work. (psh, yeah right!)

"Um...Lin...is there another choice?" Mya asked, pinching her peachy shirt. Chihiro rolled her eyes and giggled. Mya ALWAYS had to be in style, no matter what. Even if she was in a mystical spirit world, with slugs, frogs, and spider-people roaming around, and she had to clean sludgy gigantic tubs, she just HAD to look good.

"Sorry Mya, that's what you're stuck with. Now come on, you have to go see Zeniba. I know she would let you girls have jobs, duh, but you have to take care of things, you know. The bathhouse is a business, so we need to handle it properly." Lin opened the door to let the girls out, and shut it quickly behind her back when she stepped out. She started speedwalking toward an elevator, and motioned the girls to hurry up. In the elevator, Lin pulled on a handle, whispered "Hold on", and up the elevator went, at a fast speed. They got out and repeated the same thing once more. Then, they arrive at the top floor, with Lin already running ahead.

"Lin! WAIT UP!" Chihiro shouted. Lin stopped and waited for the girls to catch up with her, tapping her foot impatiently. She kept on looking at her watch every 5 seconds. Hmmm...ever since when did Lin get a watch?

Anyway, the girls caught up and Lin grabbed both of their arms. She started leading them to the gigantic door to Yubaba's-now-Zeniba's office. Funny that the annoying doorknocker wasn't there, and Lin pushed the door open. Chihiro and Mya followed, panting, into the huge colorful office. There was Zeniba, hunched over on her desk, scribbling letters and such. She looked up when she heard someone step into the room. Zeniba smiled and immediately got up from her desk to hug Chihiro. Chihiro introduced Mya to Granny, and Granny was delighted to meet another human girl.

Just then, Chihiro realized something. Lin. She disappeared. Chihiro looked around the office. She sighed, relieved, when she spotted Lin near the door. But she gasped when she saw that Lin wasn't alone. Next to her, stood a young man. He was very handsome, with bluish-blackish hair gracing his lower back, and a strong, chiseled face with amazing dark blue eyes. He was also wearing a uniform, except it was a pale yellow. He stood tall and broad, talking to a blushing Lin.

Chihiro raised an eyebrow._ Hmm...is this guy the reason Lin had me running for my life? For a dude?_, she thought. She turned around to tell Mya, but Mya already had a smirk on her face, beady brown eyes directed at Lin and her boyfriend. _Hmph...and SHE was the one who was teasing me about Haku_. _Ha, my turn now, Linny-lin. _Chihiro placed a smug look on her face, happy with a reason to tease Lin later.

"Ah, Raiden. Nice to see you this morning." said Zeniba, breaking the silence._ Raiden? _The guy-so-called-Raiden took a step forward and bowed in greeting to Granny. Lin smiled big and wide when he walked back to her and picked up where their conversation left off.

"Um...Granny?" Chihiro started out. "Who's this guy?" she whispered.

Granny smiled and answered, "That is Raiden. He is a thunder spirit who works here at the bathhouse part time. He's an assistant, like Haku. He makes sure things are organized and the way they are supposed to be. And he does a great job. We like him here." Chihiro nodded in understandment, while Mya murmured, "He's hot."

Granny chuckled softly and said, "Sorry, Mya, looks like Lin already has her hands on him."

_Ah ha! _thought Chihiro. _Lin has a crush! I knew something changed. _Chihiro smiled in awe at the sight of her friend and _her_ loverboy. Loverboy. That reminded Chihiro of something; she asked, "Hey, Granny..um...when is Haku coming back?"

"Oh dear, Chihiro, you just can't wait to see him, can't you?" Zeniba rolled her eyes. "You girls these days are just too much! Hm, well...he left about a day before you arrived, so he'll be back soon. Probably tomorrow or the day after. Is that okay?"

Both Chihiro_ and _Mya nodded their heads in disappointment. But there was a pang of excitement in their stomachs...Haku was coming soon.

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**In the kitchen...**

"ICE CREAM! I NEED ICE CREAM!" Chihiro screamed. She needed ice cream. She need something sweet, something sugary...something to take her mind off of Haku.

"OKAY, okay, Sen, just chill out for a sec." Lin rushed into a freezer and grabbed a quart of strawberry ice cream and spoons. She opened the container and set it in the middle of the circle of the three.

"Now..." Lin started, picking up her spoon. "what is up with you? You've been acting jittery all day." The girls were put to work after the visit to Zeniba's office, and scrubbed their butts off all afternoon. Lin and Chihiro were used to the work, but not Mya. She was exhausted, and finally fainted when she caught sight of the radish spirit. Now here they are in the kitchen, sharing ice cream to reward each other for working so hard.

"N-nothing's wrong...just...I'm just tired, that's all." Chihiro said, spooning ice cream into her mouth.

Lin and Mya exchanged looks and pummeled Chihiro with We-know-it's-something-else looks. "Chi...you're craving ice cream." Mya paused. "It's Haku, isn't it?" she said, smugly.

"Oh, NO WAY." Lin quipped sarcastically, letting out a laugh.

Chihiro's face turned beet red as Mya laughed along with Lin. "Is not!" Chihiro shot back, mouth full with ice cream.

Mya nodded rapidly and made a heart with her hands. Chihiro blushed again.

"Ha, look who's blushing!" Lin pointed at Chihiro. Chihiro gave Lin a glare.

"Heh, relax Sen, we're just teasing ya."

Chihiro wiped the melted pink liquid off of her mouth and smile mischivieously. She remembered she had something to ask Lin. "Oh, Lin...I forgot to ask you...How are you and Raiden?"

Now it was Lin's turn to blush as she replied, "Nothing. Just talking and...stuff. It's all gooood."

Chihiro smiled at Lin. "You guys look cute together." She looked at Mya, who nodded agreeingly.

Lin scoffed. "Uh-what? No, no, no, no, no, no, you've got it all wrong girls. We're just friends."

"Nuh-uh-uh, we saw your eyes sparkling when you were talking to him. DON'T deny it, Lin. You like that guy." Mya confronted, a smirk across her face.

Chihiro smiled a mile-wide smile while Lin crossed her arms and shook her head. "N-nope. I have NO feelings for...for...Raiden." she said, nervously.

"Ha. We're not even gonna force it out of you, Lin. We know you heart that dude. And we can't blame you, he's pretty hot." Mya said, grinning from ear-to-ear. Chihiro was in a fit of giggles.

Lin relaxed a bit, while still blushing a slight pink. She hung her head. "F-f-fine. I admit it. I kinda like Raiden. Kinda. He's cute, so why not?" she murmured.

Chihiro and Mya high-fived, satisfied with Lin's surrender. After more girl chatter, they finished their ice cream, cleaned up, and got ready for bed.

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The full moon was shining bright on the sparkling water. Then, a long, slivery figure flew gracefully over the lake. The beautiful blue and white dragon landed on a high balcony and transformed to human form. The young man, who looked about sixteen, opened the door to his room and slid the it shut. He was back from his task, and he desired some rest.

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_'Haku?_

_Haku, it's me. Chihiro.'_

_Gorgeous emerald eyes stared back at her with surprise. After a moment, they softened and peered at her with love._

_'Chihiro...'_

_Haku held out his hand, and Chihiro reached for it until..._

Chihiro's eyes snapped open._ Dangit!! I can't believe I woke up from a dream. _She slowly sat up from her futon, and looked out the window. Tonight had a full moon, and it was beautiful. It reflected off the crystal lake and shimmered with beauty. _Wow..._

Admiring the beautiful sight before her, she thought of the one person she wanted to share it with.

Chihiro prayed to the gods that Haku would soon return, and that he would be happy to see her. She prayed they would give her guidance throughout this world, and that they would let her have a wonderful time here. After praying, she got up and went over to her backpack. She carefully took out her stuffed dragon. Chihiro held onto her friend tightly and slipped back into bed. She cuddled with her cute little dragon, thinking about how she was going to reunite with the real one soon. She drifted off to sleep, dreaming sweet dreams about her dragon boy.

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**And here you go, Chapter 4.**

**Sorry if it kinda sucked. As you may have figured out already, Haku and Chihiro will reunite in the next chapter. And it's gonna be happy and sappy, with lots of fluff, if you don't mind, lol. I make happy stories.**

**Oh, and 'Raiden' means 'god of thunder'. Just so you know.**

**Next chapter will be up soon. Enjoy.**

**xoxo Mari**

**P.S. Review please!**

**P.P.S. I want to thank the people that reviewed. I'm touched -sniffle-**

**Three people may seem a small amount, but I'm so happy already.**

**Thanks Garra's Moruni, ichigo-2007, and BlackWolf'sShadow!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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Another busy day at the bathhouse. All of the workers were hustling and bustling to meet the customers' expectations. Everybody was so busy that Zeniba had no choice but to assign Chihiro the big tub. Chihiro reluctantly agreed, thinking that it wouldn't be so bad. She cleaned the tub before, and it was an...unusual experience. (_Remember the big sludge spirit and how Chihiro turned it back into a river spirit?) _She benefited after that, so who knows that it will happen again?

"Oh, are you sure you girls will be okay?" Zeniba asked. She felt guilty putting the girls to work on the big tub, but she had no choice.

"Granny, Granny, Granny. We'll be okay. I've worked on the tub before. And besides, Mya's really good at cleaning. You should see her room back home." Chihiro joked, nudging Mya with her elbow. Mya grinned and said, "Yeah, Granny, we'll be okay."

Zeniba smiled warmly. "Okay, then. I've put Lin with you so you girls can have fun and won't be bored. OH...and...another girl is working with you. Her name is Olivia. Is that okay?"

Chihiro looked at Mya, who reluctantly nodded and said, "Yeah, that's fine."

"Good. Now, go on girls. I'll see you later."

"'Kay, bye Granny."

Noisy chatter filled Chihiro's ears as she, Mya, and Lin made their way to the big tub. They squeezed through all of the yunas and frog spirits, and then started walking down a not-so-crowded hallway.

"Hey Lin?"

"Yah?"

"Do you know this girl named Olivia?" Chihiro asked curiously.

"Ugh, don't even SAY her name in front of me." Lin groaned.

Chihiro raised both of her eyebrows, and Mya did the same.

"Uh...do you not like her or something?" Mya asked.

"YES. She's horrible." Lin turned to her friends. "Why are you asking?"

"Because we're working with her." They said in unison.

"WHAT?! We're working with that snot-faced brat?! NO freaking way!" Lin screeched. Bathworkers that were near were shushing Lin and scolding her for yelling in front of the customers.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, okay? Look...girls...Olivia is a snobby, stuck-up, butt-headed wood spirit, and nobody in this bathhouse likes her except for Zeniba, who is just nice to her and acts like she cares. But she DOESN'T." Lin emphasized on the last word.

Chihiro and Mya both nodded in understandment, motioning Lin to continue on with her rambling.

"Everybody hates her, especially me. As you can tell." Lin smiled for a moment, laughing at her own sarcasm. But then she went back to her complaining.

"Oh...and Sen, you're so gonna hate her for this...she has a thing for Haku. Everytime he's around, she'll go right up to him and flirt. It's sickening." Lin said, disgusted.

Chihiro's eyes widened and a sad frown came across her mouth. A sick feeling pitted in her stomach when she thought about Haku with another girl. "He...he doesn't like her, does he?" she asked nervously.

Lin burst out laughing. "Psh, yeah right! He completely ignores her and loathes her as much as everyone does. He's just too nice to admit it. And besides, he likes you." Lin finished with a smirk.

Chihiro blushed. "How do you know that?"

"Uh, HELLO? He's been gloomy and depressed ever since you left. Plus, he's always thinking about you."

"He is? How?"

Lin faced Chihiro and grabbed her shoulders."Stop asking me dumb questions, Sen. I just know."

Chihiro nodded her understanding and looked over at Mya. Mya stood there, toffee eyes glued to her two friends.

"Mya, you okay?" Chihiro asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she answered. "It's just that when we meet Olivia, I'll have her by the hair."

Chihiro shook her head, smiling. She hugged her friend. "Thanks for caring. But that's okay, I think I can handle her."

"Just so you know, she's a big wee-yotch." Lin stated, crossing her arms knowingly.

"I'll be okay."

Lin patted her Chihiro on the shoulder. "Okey dokey. If you say so. But, I suggest that you don't let her know that you're old friends with Haku. She'll get nasty. Like, _meow_!"

She made a clawing motion. "For your own good, since I care. But if you do get in a fight with her, I know you'll win." She smiled.

"Ha. I doubt it, but thanks." Chihiro hugged her two buddies as they walked up the a door. "Now, let's get this over with." Chihiro grabbed the door's handle and slowly turned it.

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Haku walked from his room to Zeniba's office. His dark green hair was still the same length, though it was a bit shorter. (He probably cutted it over the years) His broad figure was no longer a boy's, but his eyes were still piercing green. Yep. Haku was still the same dreamy boy from four years ago, except more mature. And empty. Haku had grown...but there was something in his past that he wished he still had. The girl. The beautiful human girl that stumbled upon the Spirit World, at first helpless and weak. Something had drawn Haku to her; something...powerful, and it was like magic. He felt the need to help her, to protect her. And he did. He guided her through all of the obstacles of the bathhouse, and while doing that, something blossomed. Love. His heart melted when he saw her, talked to her, interacted with her. He connected. He felt the missing piece in his young spirit life was Chihiro. Haku didn't want her to leave him; he wanted to be with the human girl forever. But that couldn't happen. When she let go of his hand, his heart immediately fell apart. The tingling sensation of love was gone. And now, after four years, Haku lived in misery and depression. He didn't show it, but inside, it was tearing him apart. He was lucky to have nice people surrounding him (Zeniba, Kamajii, sometimes Lin), but he wanted more. He wanted Chihiro.

It hurt Haku that he couldn't see her. He's not yet powerful enough, and besides, his river is gone, so he couldn't go into the human world. How could he go back? Guilt overwhelmed Haku when he remembered the promise that he made. He wouldn't break it...but he had to wait. Still, Haku vowed that Chihiro would always have his heart. _Always._

Haku looked at the ground, thinking about Chihiro. _I wonder how she's doing..._, he thought. He shook his head. _I've got to stop thinking about her_. _It just hurts too much._ Haku entered Zeniba's office. When he walked in, Zeniba looked at him like he was a ghost. But then, her face softened and she said, "Haku...welcome back. I didn't expect you to arrive so early. Did you get the the air spirit's gift?"

Haku pulled out a small, glittery light blue box from his breast pocket. He gently handed it to Zeniba, who thanked him with gratitude.

"Thank you very much, Haku. I appreciate all of your hard work." Zeniba placed the miniature box into a desk cabinet and looked up at him again. "Have you had some rest?" she asked.

"Yes, Zeniba. And don't thank me. It isn't necessary." With that, Haku gave a small smile.

"Oh, Haku, you're such a charmer!" Zeniba chuckled. "Keep practicing it, for you'll it need soon."

Haku looked slightly confused. "May I ask why?"

Zeniba smiled an I-know-what-you-don't-know smile. "You'll see. Now, have you had your breakfast?"

Haku nodded.

"Alright then. Well...as you can see, we're very busy today. So, if you don't mind, I would like you to check up on all of the workers; make sure they are doing their work and everything is running smoothly. Oh, and make sure you check the workers on the big tub. They may need some help." Zeniba's eyes twinkled.

Haku bowed to Zeniba and exited the office. _What does she mean I'll need my charm? Do I have to woo some customers again? Ugh_. Haku rolled his eyes and made his way downstairs.

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"Ew. You guys go do the work. I'll just hang around here." Olivia said, looking at the big tub.

_Not so fast_, Chihiro thought. She gritted her teeth. Lin was right. Olivia was a bossy little bizznatch, and she was surprised that Mya hadn't hung her by the hair already.

Olivia was a tanned, petite girl with curly light brown hair and olive eyes. You could say she was pretty, but you'd change your mind after spending 5 seconds with her.

Lin rolled her eyes and Mya gave Olivia a dirty look. Chihiro saw her best friend clench her fists until her knuckles turned white, and she smiled mischivieously. _Uh oh_. _Mya's gonna burst; this is gonna be good._

Olivia saw Chihiro smiling and snapped, "What are you smiling at, Chen?"

"_Sen_."

"Doesn't matter."

Olivia turned and strutted toward the door. She stopped and said in a snobby tone, "I'm gonna go to the kitchen for a snack. If you're hungry, go on your own. I've got better things to do than fetch food for _humans_." She paused. "And Lin." With that, she strolled out the door.

Lin plastered on a fake smile and slammed the door shut after Olivia.

"Seeeeeeee?? I told you she was horrible." Lin growled.

"I KNOW! She's a stupid bi-I mean-female dog! I can't take her!" Mya agreed.

They looked at Chihiro. She scowled and nodded in response.

_That girl's after Haku? Psh, I don't think so._ Chihiro thought. _At least...I hope._

Awhile later, the threesome finished cleaning the tub. Obviously, Olivia didn't come back. But the trio were so tired that they didn't care and made their way to their room for a nap. After napping for about an hour or so, they got up and decided to head down for dinner. Mya and Chihiro were waiting for Lin to finish getting ready. Chihiro walked over to her backpack and pulled out her stuffed dragon. She hugged it tight and thought about Haku. _When is he coming back? I'm tired of waiting_. She looked at the toy lovingly, admiring how cute and precious it was to her. She was going to put it back into her backpack when Mya grabbed it.

"Chi, what's this?" Mya asked giddily.

"Nothing! Give it back, please." Chihiro said, reaching for the dragon.

"It's so cute! I didn't know you had this!" Mya dodged Chihiro's attempts to grab the toy.

"Thanks, but give it back, please!"

"No, I want to hold it!"

"'Kay, you girls ready?" Lin said, coming out from the bathroom.

"Yes."

"Mya, give it, NOW!" Chihiro demanded.

"Then go get it!" Mya squealed playfully as she ran out of the room.

"MYA!!! Come back here!" Chihiro ran after her friend.

Lin stood there for a moment, then joined in the playful chase as she ran after Chihiro.

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It was dinnertime, and Haku's stomach was growling after working all day. Supervising may not seem much, but it was. Arrogant workers, unhappy customers, and annoying wood spirits. Specifically Olivia. Haku thought Olivia was a nice girl, but she was flirting with him all the time. He didn't like it, since his heart belonged to someone else and that everyone hated her. Haku came to the strategy to ignore her and to just talk to her in one word phrases. Like today, for example. Haku was on his way to check on the workers on the big tub, but he ran into Olivia. Unfortunately. -_flashback_-

"Hi Haku!" Olivia squealed.

"Hello."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Nothing."

"Um, are you on your way to the big tub?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Um, you don't have to go in there. I'll just tell you; the workers there are so lazy, they won't do any work at all."

"Who?"

"Lin and these two other losers...I mean, girls." Olivia replied.

"Oh."

"And what's really disgusting is that the two other girls are hum-"

"Master Haku! Master Haku!" Olivia was interrupted by one of the frog workers.

"Master Haku, there is a problem up on the third floor. We need you, right now!" the frog complained.

"Okay, okay, I'll come with you now." Haku said, calmly. _Thank you..._

"No need to worry." Haku started following the frog spirit when Olivia grabbed his arm.

"Haku, waaait!" she wailed.

"Olivia, not now. We'll finish talking later." Haku said. He turned his back on her, happy to get away. He sighed heavily, and followed the frog upstairs to take care of a problem.

-_end flashback_-

Haku chuckled and went to the kitchen. All of the workers were there, crowded around, chattering with each other. They all bowed in greeting when Haku entered the room.

He bowed in return and went to fetch some food from a nearby table. As he was picking through the desserts, he couldn't help but overhear some conversations.

"Do you remember that human girl from four years ago, Rica? Sen?" asked one of the yunas.

Haku hesitated. He wanted to hear what the yuna had to say about Chihiro.

"Yes, Carra, I remember. What about her?" the other yuna replied.

"She's back!"

Haku's heart stopped. He couldn't breathe. _What? Sen...Chihiro...she's back? In the Spirit World? In the bathhouse?_

Haku filled with nervousness and excitement as he thought about how his beloved Chihiro was only away from him by a few feet. He continued listening.

"Really? Wow, that's wonderful!" the yuna squealed.

"I know! I saw she brought another girl too. A friend, I think."

"Another human? Whew."

"Ha, I know. Hm...I wonder if Master Haku knows yet." the yuna Carra suddenly whispered.

"Hmhm..he would totally be ecstatic. He was in love with her, remember?" the yuna Rica giggled.

"Yes, that's right! They were so cute. Too bad for Olivia, huh?" Both yunas laughed.

Haku was overwhelmed. She was back. Chihiro was back. He dropped his food and turned to a frog spirit next to him.

"Hiromi?"

The worker turned to Haku and said, "Yes, Master Haku?"

Haku started breathing in and out really deep. "Is...is..."

"Is what?"

"Is...is Sen back?!" Haku asked impatiently.

Hiromi's eyes widened with surprise. "Yes, Master Haku. Sen is here."

"Wh-wh-where is she?"

"Oh...probably in the yuna's rooms. She'll be down here, I'm sure."

"She's coming down here? Right now? At dinner?" Haku asked overwhelmed.

"Master Haku, calm down. Are you alright?" the frog spirit asked worriedly.

Haku shook his head. "I don't kn--"

He was interrupted by a loud _swoosh. _

A brown-haired girl came running into the dining room, giggling with glee with a stuffed dragon in her grip. She was zooming all over the place, like she was being chased. It wasn't Chihiro. Haku relaxed and stared at the girl running around curiously. Could this be Chihiro's friend?

"Mya! MYA!" somebody yelled.

Haku looked at the door to see who it was.

Another brown-haired girl entered the room, chasing after the other one. But she had chocolate brown eyes, and her hair was in a ponytail with a glittering hairtie. There was a familiar aura about her, and Haku thought she was absolutely beautiful. Then it hit him. _Chihiro?_

The girl so-called-Mya zipped past Haku, trailing a gust of wind behind her. Chihiro ran around a table seated with workers and chased Mya on the other side of the room.

The frog spirit Hiromi spoke again. "See? That's Sen right there." He smiled happily and pointed.

Haku nodded in response. He grinned ear-to-ear as he watched his loved one run around, half-angry, half-happy. He was so full of joy. Chihiro was here, and they could reunite. He stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"I have to ask you to stop running around, miss." Haku said in a jokingly stern voice.

Both girls stopped in their tracks. Mya somehow lost her balance and fell on her butt. She murmured an 'ouch' and looked up at Haku. Her jaw dropped open as she clung onto the stuffed animal in her hand.

Chihiro just stood there, frozen, with many eyes watching her. She was thrown-back by hearing a male voice. It wasn't Zeniba. Or Lin. Or Kamajii or any of the workers. The voice belonged to a person that Chihiro had in her dreams for the last four years. But it couldn't be. _Could it?_ she thought. _Could it be him? Haku?_

She slowly turned around. Chihiro gasped when her eyes connected with gorgeous emerald ones. A familiar tickling sensation filled her body and that made her smile. But her eyes were filled with love as they looked deep into Haku's eyes. Haku let out a small breath. Chihiro just stood there, frozen, mouth slightly open and eyes glazed. Haku cleared his throat again and spoke softly, "Chihiro?"

Chihiro couldn't speak. Nothing came out of her mouth, so she just nodded.

Haku gave her warm smile, and began slowly stepping toward her. When he and Chihiro were face-to-face, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders, then embraced her in a bear hug. Chihiro hugged him back tightly, grateful and happy. She dug her face into his shoulder so she could hide her joyful tears.

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**Voila! Chapter 5, and it's extra long. Yay! Haku and Chihiro are together again! -bounces with joy-**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one is coming up.**

**xoxo Mari**


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